Aussie car manufacturing needs govt support: Libs MP

Whilst I liked the article by Belinda Cranston, I find it necessary to add my input. Our country is heading over the cliff, lemon-like, on the short-term thinking that mining income will fix all problems and forever. Manufacturing has been restructuring for decades since the Button Plan. I've been deeply involved in this and very afraid that politicians still don't get it. Our kids need manufacturing skills. It takes a major manufacturing base like the car industry to keep it all going. My message: Engineers need to be involved in the debate before irreversable damage is done. The Button Plan confronted a great Company called Repco that once employed 11,000 staff, had a world-class apprentice training centre that provided their manufacturing management team, was a supplier to the car companies, designed and built some of the best product in the world. All gone. We couldn't make the changes quick enough for Button. Now what are the pollies going to do? Stuff it up again? Simply because they don't really understand? Just too impatient again? Ref www.engineaction.com for background.

Yup,,,,, ABSOLUTELY,,,,, I have no problems with sustaining a car industry. BUT 4 companies beating a path to the tax payer door for handouts is 3 too many. And anyone talking about the rationale of needing a car industry for national security is completely of the mark. What did we do in the last world war? How long would it take, and is it possible for a domestic car manufacturer to tool up and produce war time equipment in a time frame that would be of practical use for the defence of Australia? I doubt that either is practical, particularly with the speed of modern warfare. So that argument is a little bit vague. The bottom line is that there is no justification for continued tax payer hand outs to these car manufacturers. It's cheaper and more productive to retrain and re-locate any workers.

Supporting with funds this industry is okay, but I'm very worried, Mr Shorten, that Labour is unable to make a deal where the govt eventually gets a return, as Labour is a very bad negotiator - and gets done every time - again & again it did happen. Anyway in the end the tax-payer pays, not Mr Shorten, ah forgot to mention that your pay is as well from the tax payers.

What about the hundreds of small manufacturers & producers.We need accross the board protection, not just singling out one manufacturer

Pat has raised the very points that I could have made when responding to Belinda's article. I am one of the many people who had their training at Govt defence factories that once existed at Maribyrnong that produced ordinance (rifles to ship's guns) and Bendigo (gear boxes etc.) which were fitted to the destroyers built at the Naval Dockyards at Williamstown. These same facilities then maintained these ships. I understand that the reports on the Collins sub programme highlight the loss of engineering know-how from this industry. Some cost saving that has been. Wars do not start overnight. A time frame exists where our political leaders get "notice". That's when the defence industry kicks in.....but what do we have left? We don't make our own bullets now do we? Back to the car industry: A large manufacturing industry is part of a successful society. Not just because it supports second and third tier contactors but it is also a great training ground for trade-based managerial skills. Metal trades; production planners; small business owners. That is where small engineering businesses often start from: ex-car company employees. As for training retrenched employees for those other jobs? Just what are these other jobs? The Service Industry? I own a service industry business. Guess what? I use CNC machines and employ the skills of toolmakers in recovering damaged expensive diesel and petrol engines that modern cars and trucks run. I also maintain key elements used in the public transport system. Where did my key staff learn their skills? In the above mentioned factories. My point is that our society has leaders who appear not to understand the interconnections between the larger and smaller engineering businesses. My concern is that without the big guys (car industry) a really critical part of the system will fall apart. When my small business needs a particular grade of alloy steel, to make a new component from, I go to the wholesaler and take a very small portion of the stock that is held for the car companies volumes. When I need tooling for my CNC, I likewize go to the wholesaler that exists on car company contracts. Interconnections. No car companies = no volume to justify my suppliers existance. Buy over the internet perhaps? Hey, the guy that now sells me the tools knows more than I do because he got his training at a car company. I can't get that over the internet By all means let us continue the debate. I might even start on our school system. You should see the apprentice system from my side.

The vast majority of businesses out there, who also employ staff and also innovate, don’t get government assistance. It’s very frustrating as a business owner to see certain industries (like automotive) singled out to get our hard earned tax dollars as handouts. My business is expected to be sustainable in order to survive, so why can’t car manufacturers have the same expectation and standard.

Oh for Government of truth, Government of care. Lift the pawls and turn the ghastly ratchet back; Ratchet designed by Socialistic mind, Which by slow and gradual degrees, and without heart,Is set to squeze The life and breath from private enterprize. Make now that way where effort doth reward Allow once more for man by sweat of brow to live And not from welfare got by unjust means Tax all with equity and let each work his level out in life Oh underpriveleged one, yea look and see, That that which doeth now for thee Will bye and bye have naught wherewith to do And thou and it and all shall down That whirlpool suction go In poverty A.